St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham, Southminster
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Southminster, part of The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 374th-highest of the 388 schools in Essex with published results, and 13,886th of 14,452 across England. It was 52% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham in detail
Results
In 2025, 47% of Year 6 pupils at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham reached the expected standard in reading and 53% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 59% in reading and 48% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham
For September 2026 entry, 11 families put St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham as their first choice and 23 named it as one of their preferences, for 16 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham are St Cedd's Church of England Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 75% reading, 81% maths); St Leonard's Church of England Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 54% reading, 43% maths); Tollesbury School (4.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); and St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Burnham-on-Crouch (5 miles, Good, 94% reading, 94% maths).
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St Cedd's Church of England Primary SchoolSt Leonard's Church of England Primary SchoolTollesbury SchoolSt Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Burnham-on-Crouch
The trust
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham is one of 21 schools run by The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 49% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 21 schools in The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust
Who goes there
1.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 18 pupils (20.7%) received SEN support and 1 (1.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Southminster Rail Station, about 3.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Square (opposite), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Essex (97).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham issued 16 suspensions, 19.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a friendly and purposeful school. Pupils are courteous and polite. They play together in their free time in a calm and happy way. They treat each other and adults nicely. Pupils across the school demonstrate positive attitudes. Older pupils, in particular, are grateful for the changes the school has made this year to significantly reduce poor behaviour and enhance their education. Lessons proceed free from disruption and pupils work well.
Bullying has happened in the past but is now rare. Pupils are confident that if it did happen, adults would deal with it well. They have adults in the school they can talk to if they are worried about something.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
In 2023, pupils did not achieve as well as they should have. This was because there were lots of staff changes and an inconsistent approach to teaching. Standards of behaviour were not good enough. The school and trust have taken direct and effective action to address this. Pupils now learn well.
The school has transformed behaviour. Pupils listen and work well in lessons. They respond appropriately to adults' guidance. They treat each other with respect. This has come about because the school now insists on high standards of behaviour from everyone.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
19.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 59% to 47% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 48% to 53% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 63% to 53% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham
Will you get a place at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Essex got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
52%
Available places
83 pupils
161 places
78 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Southminster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southminster
Across Essex council
Places available
17,932
Applications
15,737
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
18
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
21.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
87
Total Pupils
48
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,758
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,169
Per pupil
£641k
Total funding
£21k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.4%
Overall absence
26.9%
Persistent absence
93
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham
What are SATs results like at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
Of the pupils at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 47% reached the expected standard in reading and 53% did so in maths.
What is St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham's Ofsted rating?
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
No fixed boundary. When St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham was not full in 2025: it ran at 52% of its 161 places.
How many pupils go to St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham has around 87 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
9.4% of sessions were missed at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham in 2024/25. 26.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham?
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham is at The Street, Tillingham, Southminster, Essex, CM0 7TJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)